Currency
Wealth is an extremely important part of life in Athas. It takes coin to travel about, maintain gear, purchase lodgings and good, et cetera. It's often a primary motivating factor of most adventurers. Listed below is a selection of currencies found throughout Athas. The Iron Bank The main banking system throughout Athas. It is one of the wealthiest banks of the Known World and often lends money to lords and kings. The bank is famous for its discretion and secrecy. They are known to be quite aggressive in collecting debts. The bank has revolutionized economics and finances throughout Athas and has become the primary backing currency throughout most of the continent, giving a common standard measure for value. They utilize what is called the Gold Coin Standard (GCS). These coins are heavy coins that come in copper, silver, gold and platinum. Each bear the visage of a different animal (see below). Other modes of currency in countries that have adopted the Iron Bank's GCS are considered outdated but can still be exchanged for gold. * Copper pieces are officially called Falcons, but are more commonly known as Bits or Thumbs. They are the smallest coin and bear the picture of a Falcon. There are ten coppers in a silver and one hundred in a gold and one thousand in a platinum. * Silver pieces are officially known as Stags, but are more commonly known as Bucks. They are the most common coin to be exchanged among the smallfolk. The average day's wage for a laborer is 1 silver piece. They bear the picture of a Stag. There are ten silvers in a gold and one hundred in a platinum. * Gold pieces are officially known as Lions. They are most common in exchanges between merchants, adventurers and the nobility. Unsurprisingly, they bear the picture of a Lion. * Platinum pieces, while exceedingly rare, are still accepted as official currency and are known as Dragons, but more commonly as Dragons or Drakes, as they bear a picture of the creature. These names are somewhat regional, so they are referred to as one of the above names depending on the city or settlement. However, simply saying "a copper" or "a few gold" is also common and universally understood by the populace. It is common for travelers, foreigners and adventurers to use this vernacular to avoid regional confusion. Non-Participating Countries It's easier to list the countries who ''haven't ''adopted the system. They include: * Sembia, Calimshan, Druma, Scandivar and Evereska. Drachma Drachma is the currency of the nation of Sembia. They have the profiles of various High Kings of Sembia emblazoned on one side and the All-Seeing Eye on the other. One drachma is worth approximately 1/7 of a gold piece; it takes seven drachma to equal one standard gold piece. Mirian Mirian, also known as "Green Gold" or "Elvish Gold", is the system of currency used by the High Elves of Evereska and, formerly, Eregion. It is named after the primary unit of currency (the mirian). These coins are beautiful, highly polished and enchanted to sparkle in the light of the moon. The coins are six-sixed with a hole in the center so they can be placed on a leather cord. * Pant: Also called a penny. Small, copper coins. There are twenty-five Pants in a Canath. * Canath: The word Canath means "four" or "a fourth of something". They are small silver coins, just larger than a pant, ringed with a soft, vivid blue metal. There are two canths in a kanasto four canaths in a Mirian. * Kanasto: A coin made from electrum; a blend of gold and silver, ringed with a white-ish silver metal. There are two Kanasto in a Mirian. * Mirian: The primary unit of currency. Large, thin gold coins ringed with a green metal. One Mirian is worth approximately three gold pieces. Hacksilver The currency of the Scandivar people. Due to lack of gold in Scandivar, they focused mostly on these coins which are a blend of silver and tin. A hacksilver is worth about half a standard silver piece. Note that the Ulfen of Scandivar value gold more than any other sort of coin. Calimshan Gold The currency of Calimshan is a complex currency with nearly a dozen coins of varying value. Most foreigners consider it a headache to puzzle out but the men of Calimshan have been using it for more than 1,000 years. The coin most used by foreigners is the Daric; a golden coin valued the same as a standard gold piece. Note that there are several branches of the Iron Bank in Calimshan, many merchants take "Iron Gold" and it's gaining popularity due to its simplicity. The nation has not officially adopted it as currency, however.